Texas Hold ‘em (Xbox Live Arcade) Review

Posted by Steve McHugh on 04.12.2007

Not as good as winning actual money.

Chances are many of you already have this game as it was free to download when it was first released last year. However for those of you who didn’t own a 360 then or don’t like stuff for free it’s up to me to let you know whether or not it’s worth the 800 points.

Now to be honest, I have always had a problem with any game involving anything where you normally win money. I don’t really see the point as it’s always much more fun to actually play against living people for money then it is against an AI. That’s not to say I’m some sort of gambler but playing against actual people is always more rewarding (so long as you win).

Which is why the single player of this game isn’t all that exciting. As far as poker goes this is pretty much a spot on version of Texas Hold ‘em. That might be the only version of poker you get but it’s probably the one most people are familiar with so it shouldn’t be a huge problem. The main problem is the lack of challenge you’ll get from the computer controller opponents. You’ll be able to figure out pretty quickly who has a good hand because bluffing is very rare. If they bet high or go all in it’s a good hand more often than not and you can easily out-bluff most of them by rising a few times until they fold. It’s a good way to get lots of money without much effort but it’s also completely hollow.

However where the single player does excel is the huge amount of stuff you have on offer. There are tournaments and scenarios to play through and all require quite a lot of time put aside to get through them. There’s even a tournament where the games puts up your money so you don’t have to lose anything. It’s not the place to go to win the big $ but it’s handy to learn the game if you’ve never played before. Also the single player achievements are all pretty good.



With a good hand you'll win every single time. Unlike real poker.

But the real reason why you’ll play the game is the multiplayer online options where you can take on your friends and try to win their virtual money. It’s much more rewarding and fun to do this and most of the time you’ll have a good laugh. However, there are plenty of people playing who like to bet all in every single time. It’s the hazard of being a game and not real but it can be a pain and mar any enjoyment you were having when someone joins and starts being an ass.

The look of the game is functional. The 360 is hardly tested as everything, although colorful, won’t be winning any design awards. The same goes with the music as it’s inoffensive but massively bland. Personally I just switch it off and put on a CD.


The 411

The single player really doesn’t make sense but it’s just as good as any other poker game out there. The multiplayer is a ton of fun and the only reason to get the game. That said this is 800 points and that’s very steep. If you’re still interested go buy Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Vol. 1 as this is included and the other games you get with it are in a whole other league.

Graphics	6.1	Nothing exciting. At the end of the day it’s a pack of cards, chips and some gamer pictures to show each person. Still it’s all clear and crisp.
Gameplay	6.4	Single player is totally pointless but multiplayer is fun. Still just go buy cards and play with your friends.
Sound	5.0	Bland and boring but inoffensive.
Lasting Appeal	6.0	Single player: a few hours before you get bored. Multiplayer: you’ll pop it in occasionally but then forget you had it on your system.
Fun Factor	7.3	This is a good laugh in multiplayer with a few friends but a very lonely experience by yourself.
Overall	6.8   [ Average ]